Surgical arm-splint.



PATENTED MAY 29, 1906.

E. N. DRIER.

SURGICAL ARM SPLINT.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1905.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR Ezra Well/Z071 finer BY W W A TTOR/VE-Y NTTED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

EZRA NEWTON DRIER, OF VANCOUVER, CANADA.

SURGICAL ARIVI-SPLINT.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EZRA NEWTON DRIER, a citizen of the Dominion ofCanada, residing at the city of Vancouver, in the Province of BritishColumbia, Canada, have invented a new and useful Improvement in SurgicalArm-Splints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a surgical armsplint designed to be adaptablefor either right or left arm or forearm and adjustable in size to therequirements of either youth or adult.

It is further provided with a means for support from the chest of thepatient, and this feature, taken in conjunction with theendwise-slidable adjustability of the arm members, permits on theirapplication to a fractured limb an extension being obtained between thejoint of the arm-fracture after setting, an advantage which will bereadily understood and appreciated by surgeons.

The particular construction of the device by which these several resultsare attained and the manner of ap lication and use of the splint arefully set orth in the following specification and illustrated in thedrawings which accompany it, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe splint; Fig. 2, an end view, to an enlarged scale, of the innertelescopic portion of each arm member; Fig. 3, a similar view of theouter portion; Fig. 4, a plan view of the splint with chest-plateextended; Fig. 5, a similar view of the elbow-cap attachment; Fig. 6, anend elevation of the same, and Fig. 7 a cross-section showing analternative means of slidably connecting the two portions of each armmember.

The elements of the splint'structure consist of a thin material flexiblecircumferentially, so that it will readily encircle and adapt itself tothe circumference of anemia and that when bent to that approximatelycylindrical form will afford when bandaged the necessary rigidity andsupport for the purpose required. The arm and forearm splint are eachcomposed of two of these armencircling portions slidable telescopicallyone within the other, 2 and 3 being for the arm and 4 and 5 for theforearm, and to facilitate the slidable movement and afford a means bywhich the portions may be secured in any desired lengthwise position arelatively stout longitudinal bar is secured to each arm-encirclingportion, thebars 6 and 7 of the por Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 25, 1905. Serial No. 279,949-

' .ratented May 29, 1906.

tions 2 and 4 being slidable in dovetailed grooves 10 in the bars 8 and9 of the portions 3 and 5, respectively. By this means the two portionsof each arm-splint are retained in slidable alinement, and a means isprovided for securing them in any desired position of endwise extensionby the screws 11, tapped through the members 8 and 9, so that they maybe tightened against the bars 6 or 7.

The bars 8 and 9 are extended beyond the arm-encircling portions 3 and 5toward the elbow-joint and are provided with an articulated joint 12,permitting movement of the arm and forearm splints in a plane parallelto the axes of their arm-encircling portions, and the adjacent edges ofthe portions 3 and 5 are shaped in the manner illustrated at 13 toafford a sufficient amount of movement in the plane of that of thejoint.

To the upper end of the bar 6 of the upper arm portion 2 is hinged orotherwise flexibly connected the chest-plate 15, the hinge 14 of whichis as close as practicable to the adjacent edge of 2, and the plane ofthe joint movement is approximately at right angles to that of theelbow-joint.

In the alternative design illustrated in Fig. 7 the retention andalinement of the telescopically-slidable arm-encircling portions isinsured by a dovetailed flute or groove extending the length of each,such groove being bent in the material of the portions themselves anddesigned to fit one within the other in the manner shown.

A splint is thus provided for either arm or forearm, each'arm portionbeing adjustable lengthwise to the size requirements of either youth oradult, and the arm-encircling portions, which are intended to be wrappedto the arm by bandages, are flexibly adaptable to the arm circumference.

The articulation 12, provided at the junction of the arm-sections,enables the forearm to be brought up to any desired angle, where it maybe sustained by sling in the usual manner,while the chest-plate 15,being bandaged close up under the armpit of the patient, will afford anample support from the trunk. This relation of the opposing resistancebetween the armpit and forearm attachments is a most important featureof this invention, as it enables in the case of application of thesplint to an arm-fracture the desired extension to be readily obtainedbetween the joint of the fracture after setting, for the slidableelements 2 and 3 of the splint may be extended the desired amount andsecured there by the screw 11 in the bar 8. Similarly, when applied forfracture of the forearm the hand of the patient may be fastened in asuitable splint and the parts 4 and 5 extended between wrist and elbowand secured at the desired extension by the screw 11 in the bar 9.

When required, an elbow-cap 16 (see Figs. 5 and 6) is provided, having adovetailed bar 17 designed to fit the groove 10 of either portion 3 or 5and secured in any desired posi tion therein by a screw 18.

Having now particularly described my in vention and the manner of itsapplication, I hereby declare that what I claim as new, and desire to beprotected in by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In a surgical arm-splint; circumferentially-flexible arm-encirclingportions slidable telescopically one within the other and means forsecuring said portions at any desired position of lengthwise adjustment.

2. In a surgical arm-splint circumferentially-flexible arm-encirclingportions for arm and forearm hinged at the elbow by a joint the plane ofmovement of which is parallel to the axes of the arm-encirclingportions, and a chest-plate hinged to the extreme end of the arm memberthe plane of joint movement of which is approximately at right angles tothat of the elbow-joint.

3. A surgical arm-splint comprising telescopically-slidablearm-encircling structures of circumferentially-fiexible material for armand means for securing the telescopicallyslidable arm-encirclingportions in any desired position of endwise movement.

4. A surgical arm-splint comprising the circumferentially-flexiblemembers 2 and 3 for the arm, the bar 6 secured to 2 and endwise slidablein the groove 10 of the bar 8 secured to 3, the forearm members 1 and 5,the bar 7 secured to 4 and endwise slidable in the groove 10 of the bar9 secured to 5, the screws 11 in 8 and9, the articulated joint 12between 8 and 9, the plate 15 connected to the bar 6 by the hinge 14,and the blow-cap 16 having dovetailed attachment 17 designed to fit thegroove 10, and the screw 18 in 8 or 9.

5. In a surgical arm-splint an arm-encir cling member havingendwise-slidable movement and adjustment, a chest-plate secured to theupper end of said arm-encircling membeg, and a forearm-splint hinged tothe lower en r y In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisspecification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EZRA NEWVTON DRIER.

Witnesses ROWLAND BRITTAIN, FREDA QUINN.

